OSCP vs CEH: Which Cybersecurity Certification Should You Choose?

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Quick Definition: The OSCP (Offensive Security Certified Professional) and CEH (Certified Ethical Hacker) are two of the most popular cybersecurity certifications for people interested in information security. The OSCP is a hands-on penetration testing certification that examines practical offensive security techniques. The CEH focuses on a more holistic ethical hacking framework that teaches methodologies.

Choosing the right certification can make or break your career, especially in cybersecurity. To help you make the best choice, we'll examine two of the best-recognized certifications in cybersecurity: the Offensive Security Certified Professional (OSCP) and the Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH). 

While it may sound like they cover the same topic, there are some fundamental differences in how they test your skills and knowledge—and how you should prepare for them. 

OSCP vs. CEH: Understanding the Key Differences

The OSCP is known for being quite rigorous in testing practical, hands-on skills and techniques in offensive security. It also examines penetration testing and developing exploits in great detail, which makes sense for someone who wants to upskill their penetration testing capabilities. 

You'll also learn how to identify vulnerabilities, find or create exploits for them, and then document them in a professional format for the client or employer. The OSCP simulates real-world environments to recreate on-the-job conditions and encourages you to think like an attacker looking to infiltrate a target network.

The CEH takes a different approach to cybersecurity. It focuses on the broader context of ethical hacking and the methodologies used for this kind of testing. You’ll learn about many common ethical hacking topics, such as footprinting, system hacking, enumeration, scanning, and common social engineering tactics.

CEH certification revolves around theoretical knowledge and foundational skills that are useful to anyone who wants to learn all about cybersecurity from the beginning. Instead of focusing on detailed techniques for compromising specific systems, you'll learn about the frameworks that underpin ethical hacking and the overall process it follows in different scenarios.

This chart examines the main differences, which we'll explore in more detail in further sections. 

OSCP vs. CEH: Comparative Analysis

Now that we understand the basic differences between the OSCP and CEH, we can start looking at the specifics of each cert. As its name suggests, the OSCP is geared toward offensive security and penetration testing. It's an excellent choice for candidates who already have a background in IT with exposure to networking, sysadmin work, and basic programming, which is a plus. 

Once certified, OSCP holders usually find roles as pen testers, security consultants, and red teaming work. Because of this certification's hands-on style, most companies value this cert because it proves you have proficiency with real-world scenarios. 

The CEH is suitable for beginners and experienced professionals who need to demonstrate their understanding of ethical hacking. It covers a wide range of topics, including network security, web application security, and cryptography. After completing the CEH, you can usually move on to working in roles in security analysis, incident response, and compliance. 

Earning your CEH gives you a well-rounded understanding of how the different parts of ethical hacking apply to an organization's business needs and when to apply specific methods.

OSCP vs. CEH: Salary and Career Prospects

Salary often comes up when comparing certificates, regardless of your career path or profession. The good news is the salaries for the roles you can expect to fill with both certifications are pretty close. 

However, offensive security roles generally fetch more in today’s markets, with a few exceptions, such as your experience in the role and where the job is located. The location of the job has a lot to do with the potential offer, so keep that in mind.

Having said that, OSCP holders earn an estimated average annual salary of around $100,000, while CEH professionals can expect an average of around $95,000. 

OSCP Salary Estimates

Payscale.com has extensive data about different IT Security job roles currently being offered, which we have listed in the table below.

We also looked at Glassdoor to see what figures you can expect for OSCP-aligned roles. We found that salaries currently range from $193K to $208K per year, with the median being around $200K. 

This is quite a bit higher than the Payscale ranges we saw earlier, but again, experience and location make a big difference in any role, and these factors are always important to consider. ZipRecruiter shows salaries range from $96K to $168K, with the average being around $120K per year.

CEH Salary Estimates

Again, we looked at payscale.com and their current salary ranges, but this time for CEH-related roles in cybersecurity. 

According to Glassdoor, CEH-related roles offer salaries in the $113k—203k range, and ZipRecruiter starts at $57k and tops out at $186k, with an average of around $132k per year. As with the OSCP roles, we see a lot of variation between employers, so you will probably need to shop around rather than accept the first offer that comes your way if you want to maximize your earnings.

As far as industry demand is concerned, both certifications are highly sought after by employers, and there is some overlap between roles and certifications. As IT professionals, we know that medium—to large-sized organizations are always looking for proactive experts who can address security vulnerabilities. 

This is why both of these certifications are in high demand. OSCP holders are usually able to land roles that focus on advanced penetration testing skills like red teaming and vulnerability assessments. 

CEH professionals are needed because of their overall knowledge of how to implement security measures and respond to incidents while minimizing the organization’s exposure to compliance and regulatory breaches.

OSCP vs. CEH: Exam Difficulty and Preparation

OSCP is known for its challenging 24-hour practical exam. In it, candidates compromise multiple systems within a virtual network environment. The exam is designed to test candidates' ability to think critically, adapt to different scenarios, and document their findings clearly. 

To prepare for OSCP, you really need hands-on practice. You’ll need to be familiar with various operating systems and network protocols and their exploitation techniques. Resources like HackTheBox, VulnHub, and PWK course materials can help you build the skills you will need to finish this grueling exam.

Just because it isn’t as technical doesn’t make the CEH exam easy. Although it could be considered less demanding than the OSCP, it is still challenging to pass.

This is because of the more traditional learning required, exam structure, and the variety of topics covered. There are practical scenarios you must complete, but according to some people who have written both exams, they are not as intense as the OSCP. The CEH exam consists of 125 multiple-choice questions that must be completed within 4 hours. 

Neither exam has mandatory prerequisites, but you should have experience in IT, such as networking and basic scripting in Python or Bash. Without these basics, you might struggle with the more difficult topics, so you really should make sure you have a solid grounding before you dive in.

Choosing Between OSCP and CEH

When deciding between OSCP and CEH, consider where you see your career moving and your strengths. If you're passionate about offensive security and enjoy a hands-on, challenge-driven approach, OSCP might be the perfect fit for you.

The certification's practical focus will help you develop the skills to become a successful penetration tester or red teamer. You'll also learn advanced methods for compromising systems and exploiting vulnerabilities.

On the other hand, if you're looking for a more comprehensive understanding of ethical hacking principles and want to explore different areas within cybersecurity, the CEH certification could be the way to go. Its broad range of topics will give you a solid foundation for pursuing different roles in the information field, such as security analyst or consultant.

In each case, think about what kind of work you can see yourself doing and then apply yourself to that goal. If you don’t want to be in front of a terminal prompt all day but would rather deal with the larger picture, then the CEH cert could make sense for you. 

Suppose you are naturally inquisitive and love tinkering with systems and seeing how you can break (and hopefully fix) security. In that case, the OSCP is likely to appeal to you more than the CEH.

OSCP vs CEH: Which is Right For You? 

Ultimately, your choice between OSCP and CEH will depend on your career goals, experience level, and desired type of work. 

Both certifications are well recognized in the cybersecurity industry, and holding either demonstrates your expertise and knowledge in this field, just in different ways. OSCP's hands-on, offensive security focus makes it perfect for anyone who wants to specialize in penetration testing.

CEH's overview coverage of ethical hacking concepts suits professionals who want a broader understanding of cybersecurity. Practical exercises and learning opportunities are still available.

Whichever certification you choose, remember that learning new skills will always separate you from the rest of the pack. Things change quickly in cybersecurity, and being aware of these changes can make you a valuable asset to your team when you have to deal with new and lesser-known threats. 

Want to learn more about cybersecurity? Check out our White Hat Hacking online training with Keith Barker.